Seniors: Important Dates

Seniors Graduating Fall 2013:

Seniors Graduating Spring 2014:

Senior Exit Portfolio Review and B.F.A. Exhibition Requirements

The following guidelines describe how the Senior Exit Portfolio Reviews will be carried out. These are requirements outlined in the Radford University Undergraduate Catalog.

Dates and Time

Time of informational meetings regarding the review procedures will be announced by e-mail to all art majors and posted on the B.F.A. Bulletin Board. B.F.A. students must attend one of the meetings. At the meetings all dates, activities, and requirements regarding the B.F.A. Program will be reviewed. If you do not come to announced meetings you are responsible for finding out information.

The objectives of the Senior Exit Portfolio Reviews are to insure that all senior course work is complete and to provide guidance and assistance to Radford University’s B.F.A. candidates with their senior exhibition. The mission of the B.F.A. committee in the Exit and Senior Exhibition Review is to assure that the final body of work exhibited by the student maintains the standards of excellence needed for completion of the B.F.A. degree.

Forms and Statements

All exit review portfolios must be accompanied by a B.F.A. Portfolio Exit Review Form (available from the B.F.A. Committee Coordinator).

Statement of Work

A 150 to 200 word Statement of Work (typed in either hard copy or e-mail) must be submitted to the B.F.A. Coordinator two weeks prior to the annual portfolio review. Suggested questions to cover in the statement are concept of work, process involved, successes in the technical development of the work; placement of work in the contemporary context, artists and sources of inspiration; and reasons for the preferred medium.

Number of Works in the Senior Exit Review

The Senior Exit portfolio consists of two parts. The first is to insure that all senior level course work is completed. This part of the portfolio must consist of no more than one or two examples of work from each studio course taken in the current and preceding semesters since the student’s last review.

The second most important part of the review involves the B.F.A. Senior Exhibition work. This part must consist of six or more examples of finished works the student plans to include in his/her Senior Exhibition. A few works may be in the final stages. These works must come from the student’s area of specialization (from one discipline) and must be a focused body of work. Students must be prepared to articulate their ideas and support the body of work presented.

Students in their senior review must conduct themselves in a manner that speaks to their professionalism in their field.

If students are not prepared with the proper number of works and a statement regarding their work will fail their senior review. There is NO APPEAL.

Matting and Framing

All exhibition work does not have to be framed for the review, but the student must be prepared to demonstrate how the final work will be presented in the exhibition. It is suggested that one or two works be matted and framed or in the case of canvas, finished out as examples of presentation. Students are encouraged, to look at alternative ways of presenting their work in their final exhibition and must consult with their advisors should they choose to take this direction.

Evaluation for the Exit Review

Senior Exit reviews are conducted in front of the entire studio faculty and/or all faculty of the Art Department. Resulting scores will be e-mailed to the students as soon as possible after the reviews are completed. Faculty comments will be handed directly to the student at the time of evaluation. The evaluation scale is one to four. The highest score is four, while three indicates a successful completion of the degree. The lowest passing score is three.

Senior Exhibition

Responsibility for the Senior Exhibition rests solely with the B.F.A. candidate(s). The exhibition dates will be scheduled well in advance, and all arrangements and details regarding the exhibition must be made in consultation with the Director of the Radford University Art Museum. Art Department faculty will review the Senior Exhibition to determine the strength of the students' exhibition of works. Students will have to pass this review with a 3.0 score.

This decision is final. There are no appeals if a student does not pass this review with a 3.0 score. The students that do not pass the exit review or exhibition have two options:

To submit their senior portfolio the following semester while enrolled in the studio course of their discipline during the regular academic school year. This cannot be independent study.

To graduate with a B.S. degree in studio, provided they meet all of the degree requirements.

Important Dates

Contact

Effective Starting Date: 2013-14

All BFA studio students must complete three annual reviews plus a Senior Exit Review in their field, which equals a total of four reviews.

All incoming transfer students must have a portfolio review their first semester at Radford to count towards two annual reviews and the Senior Exit Review. This includes RU students that transferred into art from another major and from another school.

Prior to 2013-14: All BFA studio transfer students have two Annual Reviews plus their Senior Exit Review in their field.

If Students do not pass their Senior Exit Review, they have the opportunity to have another review the next semester.

Students who change their concentration from graphic design to studio art will follow the same procedures as BFA studio transfer students.

Raising a Sterling SIlver Teapot

Keela Dooley, a senior studio art major with a concentration in jewelry and metalsmithing, is raising a sterling silver teapot (video).